Buckeye teen dealing with loss of family in fiery wreck

4 died in burning vehicle hit from behind, officers say

A 16-year-old girl is coping with the loss of her family after her parents and younger brother were killed Saturday in a fiery crash near Buckeye.

A roadside memorial with crosses, balloons, flowers, candles and stuffed animals marks the site of the crash on Maricopa County 85 east of Airport Road that took the lives of Jerry Swift, 33; his wife, Seline, 34; their son, Jerry Swift Jr., 13; and Jerry Swift Sr.'s uncle Roger Keasling, 50.

The sedan the family was in was stopped on the road about 3 p.m. Saturday when it was rear-ended by a Dodge Durango, said Christopher Hegstrom, Maricopa County Sheriff's Office spokesman. The car caught fire, trapping the family inside.

The driver of the SUV was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries and since has been released, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Relatives who live on the property next to the crash site said the family was returning home from Buckeye and waiting to turn left onto their driveway when they were struck.

A Sheriff's Office spokesman couldn't confirm the identities of the four people who died in the crash until the county Medical Examiner's Office completed its report.

"Because of the condition of the bodies, based on the car fire, it (makes it) very hard to identify anyone," Sgt. Brandon Jones said Tuesday. "We have no way of knowing who these people were without the medical examiner's identification report."

"We just really surrounded her with our family and love and support, like we're doing with each other, and just letting her know she's loved and that everything's going to be OK," she said.

Multiple generations of the family have lived on the property for 40 years. Jerry and Seline were high-school sweethearts at Buckeye Union High School and had been wed for 17 years.

Owens said their two children "meant the world to them." She said Jerry Jr. "was a ray of light when he'd walk into the room," was humorous and "loved everything his dad did," living up to his nickname of "Junior." Roger had the best sense of humor and always had an easy-going attitude, the cousin said.

She said the deaths were shocking for the family. They are "taking it one minute at a time" and loving and supporting each other.

"Take every opportunity you can to tell people you love them because life can change in a matter of a second," Owens said. "Don't waste any time."

Community organizations and friends have rallied around the family. Several fundraisers and memorials are planned this week: